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Cambridge News | Latest News Headlines From Cambridge City & Cambridgeshire | National News By Cambridge News | Boy wears a skirt to school in row over uniforms
Boy wears a skirt to school in row over uniforms Raymond Brown
Chris Whitehead
A 12-year-old boy will go to school dressed in a skirt today in protest at a ban on shorts.
Chris Whitehead, 12, will wear the girls’ attire for classes at Impington Village College.
The Year 8 student will also march with fellow pupils in an effort to get the policy on shorts changed.
A budding politician and member of the school’s student executive, Chris says wearing long trousers in the summer heat is stifling and affects his ability to study in class.
He wants headteacher Robert Campbell to ditch the rule created during a consultation on the school’s uniform policy.
Chris said: “In the summer, girl students are allowed to wear skirts but boys are not allowed to wear shorts.
“We think that this discriminates against boys. I will march in a skirt with other boys waving banners and making a lot of noise.
“I will be wearing the skirt at school all day in protest at the uniform policy and addressing the assembly with the student council, wearing a skirt.”
Chris’s proud mum Liz Whitehead, 50, is backing her son’s campaign.
She said: “I am delighted that Chris is taking action on what he believes in, which the school actually encourages, so he is only doing what he has been taught.
“I am really proud he is brave enough to wear a skirt to school for what he believes in and back him all the way.”
Mr Campbell told the News there was no ban on boys wearing skirts because of anti-discrimination rules.
He said there had been a consultation between staff, parents and pupils two years ago on the school’s uniform policy, which banned shorts for boys.
Mr Campbell said: “As I understand it, some boys are planning to wear skirts to highlight that they can’t wear tailored short trousers to school.
“Our uniform policy had a significant consultation and ours is typical of most schools in Cambridgeshire and the consensus was we were going to go for that.
“The issue creeps up during the summer months as it gets warmer. Ultimately, the boys can wear a skirt to school because it doesn’t say they can’t in the uniform policy and we would be discriminating against them if we did not allow it.
“Chris is a very bright and articulate student and we have got a very strong student council.
“He is one of only two Year 8 pupils on it. I know he wants to go into politics and has got strong principles – so maybe Parliament is not the best place for him.”
Boys at Parkside Community College in Cambridge are allowed to wear shorts but long black trousers are compulsory at Swavesey Village College, Bottisham Village College, Sawston Community College and St Neots Community College.
Boy wears a skirt to school in row over uniforms Raymond Brown
Chris Whitehead
A 12-year-old boy will go to school dressed in a skirt today in protest at a ban on shorts.
Chris Whitehead, 12, will wear the girls’ attire for classes at Impington Village College.
The Year 8 student will also march with fellow pupils in an effort to get the policy on shorts changed.
A budding politician and member of the school’s student executive, Chris says wearing long trousers in the summer heat is stifling and affects his ability to study in class.
He wants headteacher Robert Campbell to ditch the rule created during a consultation on the school’s uniform policy.
Chris said: “In the summer, girl students are allowed to wear skirts but boys are not allowed to wear shorts.
“We think that this discriminates against boys. I will march in a skirt with other boys waving banners and making a lot of noise.
“I will be wearing the skirt at school all day in protest at the uniform policy and addressing the assembly with the student council, wearing a skirt.”
Chris’s proud mum Liz Whitehead, 50, is backing her son’s campaign.
She said: “I am delighted that Chris is taking action on what he believes in, which the school actually encourages, so he is only doing what he has been taught.
“I am really proud he is brave enough to wear a skirt to school for what he believes in and back him all the way.”
Mr Campbell told the News there was no ban on boys wearing skirts because of anti-discrimination rules.
He said there had been a consultation between staff, parents and pupils two years ago on the school’s uniform policy, which banned shorts for boys.
Mr Campbell said: “As I understand it, some boys are planning to wear skirts to highlight that they can’t wear tailored short trousers to school.
“Our uniform policy had a significant consultation and ours is typical of most schools in Cambridgeshire and the consensus was we were going to go for that.
“The issue creeps up during the summer months as it gets warmer. Ultimately, the boys can wear a skirt to school because it doesn’t say they can’t in the uniform policy and we would be discriminating against them if we did not allow it.
“Chris is a very bright and articulate student and we have got a very strong student council.
“He is one of only two Year 8 pupils on it. I know he wants to go into politics and has got strong principles – so maybe Parliament is not the best place for him.”
Boys at Parkside Community College in Cambridge are allowed to wear shorts but long black trousers are compulsory at Swavesey Village College, Bottisham Village College, Sawston Community College and St Neots Community College.
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